Code translating system



Feb. 11, 1958 A. H. FAULKNER CODE TRANSLATI NG SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 21,. 1954 mac 8Q I Cl ' HUNDREDS" TRANSLATING RELAYS 939M 11:I \lll- INVENTOR. ALFRED H.FAULKNER BY @121! ATTY.

A. H. FAULKNER CQDE TRANSLATING SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet'2 Filed June 21,1954 FIG 3 RIO 5 RLY. CODE UNIT 7rd) lllllll INVENTOR ALFRED H'.FAULKNERflww ATTY.

Feb. 11, 1958 A. H. FAULKNER 2,822,982

' 000E TRANSLATING SYSTEM Filed June 21, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.3A

IN VEN TOR. ALFRED H. FAULKNER ATT Y.

F a 2,822,982 Patented Feb. 11, 1958 CODE TRANSLATING SYSTEM Alfred H.Faulkner, Chicago, Ill., assignor to General Telephone Laboratories,Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Application June 21, 1954,Serial No. 438,099 9 Claims. (Cl. 235-92) The present invention relatesin general to a code translating system and more particularly to a codetranslating system wherein a count registered in an electronic counteris translated by first operating relays corresponding to the countregistered in the counter and in turn using these operated relays tocontrol a group of display panel control relays of a standardarrangement, such as disclosed in Patent No. 2,121,164, issued toRobinson on June 21, 1938, for controlling lamps in a display panel toform a readable digit configuration corresponding to the countregistered in said counter.

One well-known place where display panels are utilized is at race trackswhere the values involved must be indicated by numerical or digitconfigurations. The display panels are generally composed of lightscontrolled by a corresponding number of standard groups of five coderelays. The lights of each panel are lighted in accordance with whatparticular two relays of each group of five code relays are operated andeach group of five code relays and a panel of twenty-four lightsindividually associated therewith are used for indicating one digit.Such an arrangement is disclosed in the aforementioned'patent whereineach group of five code relays is in turn controlled from electricalswitching and counting apparatus usedfor initially registering thevalues involved.

Electronic arrangements of the type disclosed in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 425,070, filed April 23, 1954, proposed forsupplanting electrical switching and counting apparatus provide some ofthe problems which the present invention is designed to overcome. Theproblems arise because the electronic counting circuits are not veryadaptable to directly operate such a five relay code combination nor cana readable digit configuration be easily formed directly from relaysimmediately associated with the plate circuits of the tubes of theelectronic counting apparatus as a large number of contacts mustnecessarily be closed by these relays to translate the value registeredin the counting apparatus into a readable digit configuration in a lightpanel. The latter provision requires relays using a comparatively largeamount of power in conjunction with the tubes, which is not a desirablecondition.

Therefore the present invention has as its objective the provision of asimplified arrangement for the translation of values registered in anelectronic counter into the proper code for registering said values inthe standard five relay code arrangement such as shown in theaforementioned patent. Thus as electronic counters for totalling valuesbased on a decimal system using the number ten, usually comprise anumber of scale of five counters and a number of scale of two counters,each counting circuit comprising a combination of one scale of fivecounter and one scale of two counter for registering values between -10,10-100, etc., respectively, a total of seven relays must be provided foreach scale of five and scale of two counter combination, any certain twoof which are operated to form different digit configurations. Anarrangement of the described type is shown in the aforementionedFaulkner application. In that application a light panel of twenty-fourlights is associated with each group of seven relays and each digit isformed in its respective light panel by lighting appropriate lights. Asthe configurations must be changed from time to time, the countingcircuits are periodically rendered ineffective to register values whilethe already registered values are transferred to the light panels. Ifzero is registered in a particular scale of five and scale of twocounter combination, no lights are lighted in the associated displaypanel unless any one of the higher valued combinations has some valueother than zero registered therein. The described arrangement of courserequires a large number of contacts to be operated by each plate circuitrelay to form a digit in its associated light panel.

In the present invention each group of seven plate circuit ortranslating relays, instead of controlling the lights of its associatedpanel directly, control circuits for operating the desired relays of astandard group of five code relays associated therewith for the purposeof controlling the lights of an associated panel in the manner describedin said patent.

One embodiment of the present invention and one modification thereof arediscussed herein but for the purposes of brevity the two will bedescribed together as cooperating with an electronic counter comprisinga number of counting circuits of the type described. The embodimentdiscussed in conjunction with the hundreds counting circuit utilizesonly two contacts per each translating relay and unidirectional circuitsfor controlling its associated five relay group while the modificationthereof described in conjunction with the thousands counting circuitutilizes four contacts per translating relay to control its associatedfive relay group. The first arrangement permits of the use of onlyampere turns per translating relay as only two contacts at most perrelay are operated while the second permits of the use of only 200ampere turns per translating relay as only four contacts at most perrelay are operated. By limiting the number of con tacts operated perrelay a comparatively low impedance 150 or 200 ampere turn relay may beused in the respective plate circuits of the counting tubes. The term,ampere turns, is used as a convenient designation of power, andspecifically refers to the number of turns or windings multiplied by theamperage of the current passing through the turns. Either arrangementmay of course be used in conjunction with all the counting circuits. Thepresent invention also enables a simple control arrangement to beprovided for controlling the display both for direct translation ofvalues to the display panel and in the case where zero is registered inone counting circuit and another value is registered in a higher valuedcounting circuit.

Fig. l is an embodiment of the present invention showing a group ofseven plate circuit relays of the hundreds counting circuit and thecircuits to be controlled thereby.

Fig. 2 isa modification of the present invention shown in conjunctionwith the thousands counting circuit.

Fig. 3 shows the control relays associated with each counting circuitfor the different order of digits and the relays for operating thelights of one light panel to form the digits.

Fig. 3a is a code chart showing the various lights operated by differentcombinations of relays of the five relay code and the various relays ofthe five operated for forming each digit.

In the instant invention only one relay is necessary to initiate thetransfer of values registered in the counting circuits to the lightpanels and it is operated at 90 second intervals by a ground pulse overlead P1 in any well-known manner. Also each counting circuit has a pairof control relays associated therewith and one control relay of eachpair is operated on operation of the first operated relay. At the sametime the first relay removes ground from the locking circuits of thefive code relays to enable them to release and extinguish digitconfigurations in the light panels.

For example, in Fig. 3 relays Rl-Rn are operated when relay RF closescontact 391 on arrival of the ground pulse at the end of a 90 secondperiod. One control relay associated with each counting circuit, such asRl, R10, R100, R1000, etc., are operated and each transfers the leftanodes of all of the tubes and the right anode of the last tube of itsassociated counting circuit from resistance ground to ground through thetranslating relays as shown in Pig. 2. In Fig. 2, only, i have shown thetubes of the counting circuit of said prior application in order toillustrate the circuits of the relays in the plate circuits thereof.These tubes are omitted in Fig. 1 but are understood to control therelays in the same manner as in Pig. 2. Assume that a particular two ofthe translating relays of each counting circuit are now operated, inaccordance with the code described in the aforementioned application.from the associated conductive triodes of the counting circuit. Iftranslating relays 04 and 05 (Fig. 1), associated with the hundredscounting circuit, are operated the count in that circuit is equal tozero and ground is applied from contacts 11 through con tacts 51,through rectifiers associated therewith over leads D1 and C1respectively to the open contacts 320 and 319 respectively of controlrelay R100. If the translating relays, associated with the thousandscounting circuit, which are operated when the plate circuits weretransferred to ground through the relays do not correspond to zero,ground is applied from leads A2, B2 or E2 and contacts 31s, 31% or 312respectively to energize relays R1000 su'liici ntly for it to close itsX contacts to complete a circuit for fully energizing itself overcontacts 5391. Contacts 311 are closed to complete a circuit for relayR300, which locks up over its X contacts and contacts 391. it closescontacts 320 and 319 to for ward ground over leads D and C respectivelyto operate the relays D and C of the aforementioned five code relaywhich will give a digit configuration in the light panel associatedtherewith for indicating zero in the hundreds dis 7 play panel. AlsoR100 closes a circuit at contacts 313 for a corresponding relay R10 (notshown) so that if its associated counting circuit has registered a zero,it may be indicated in its display panel. Relay R10 also performs thesame function for relay R1 (not shown) and the units display panel ifzero is registered in the units counting circuit. Higher valued countingcircuits are arranged to operate R1000 in the same manner as justdescribed for operating lower valued similar relays so that a zeroconfiguration is formed in the associated light panel. it Will be notedthat if the thousands counting circuit has zero registered therein onlyrelays 05 and 04' are operated and relay R1000 cannot be operated to inturn operate relay R100 except by the corresponding control relays ofhigher valued circuits. Therefore, only if a registration has been madein a higher valued circuit does the light panel associated with a lowervalued counting circuit having a zero registration display a zero.

in accordance with the code described in the aforementioned application,the translating relays are operated as shown in the following chart andthe corresponding leads which are grounded in both the embodiment andthe modification thereof are indicated therein. As correspondingtranslating relays are operated forall counting circuits for anyparticular digit only the hundreds counting circuit translating relaysare indicated in the chart.

Relays Fig. 1 Fig. 2

05 and 04 C1 and D1 02 and D2 16 and 04 A1 and E1 A2 and E2 27 and 04 C1and E1 02 and E2 38 and 04 B1 and C1 B2 and O2 49 and 04 A1 and B1 A2and B2 05 and 59 B1 and E1 B2 and E2 16 and 59 A1 and D1 A2 and D2 27and 59 A1 and C1 A2 and O2 38 and 59 D1 and E1 D2 and E2 49 and 59 B1and D1 B2 and D2 Assuming now that relay R operates as before describedand the count registered in the associated counting circuit is otherthan zero. Two certain translating relays other than 05 and 04 areoperated together to forward ground from contacts 11 or 13, the contactsof the other operated translating relay and its associated rectifiers tothe contacts of relay R100. Thus ground is forwarded over contacts 326,324 or 322 to energize relay R100 suficiently to operate its X contactsand close a circuit for fully energizing itself over contacts 391.Contacts 325, 323, 321, 320, 319 and 318 are closed. Contacts 313 onclosing complete a circuit for relay R10 (not shown) for a purposealready described, although relay R10 may already be operated in amanner similar to relay R100.

Ground is now forwarded from the particular grounded leads in theembodiment shown in Fig. 1, their respective contacts of relay R100, andtheir respective leads A, B, C, D and E to operate two of the five coderelays A, B, C, D and E in accordance with the chart shown in Fig. 3a tolight corresponding lamps for displaying the proper digit indication inthe light panel (not shown).

At the end of the ground pulse on lead P1, relay RF releases andcontacts 391 open to restore all the control relays, which in turn openall their contacts to release the translating relays and also open theoriginal operating circuits for the code relays. When relay RF releases,ground is applied to locking lead 399 at contacts 392 and a lockingcircuit is completed for the code relays, before their originaloperating circuits are opened, over their respective locking contacts tomaintain the proper lamps lighted. As the actual time interval betweenthe opening of contacts 391 and the closing of contacts 392 is extremelyshort none of the operated relays of the five relay code unit falls backduring the interval. In addition it may be noted that the control relayssuch as R1000 and R1000 must restore to enable the restoration of thetranslating relays before any relay in the five relay code unit can evenbegin to restore. Therefore practically no opportunity exists forenabling the relays of the code unit to restore, and if the situationrequires, the code unit relays can be made slightly slow-to-release toensure their being held operated during the interval between the openingof contacts 391 and the closing of contacts 392.

A count registered in the thousands counting circuit is translated onoperation of relay R1000 in the same manner with the exception thatrectifiers are not provided in the circuits to the five code relays andtherefore the translating relays 05, 16, 27, 38 and 49 must each operatefour make contacts to transfer ground from either contacts 211 or 213,through two of the make contacts of the operated translating relay to aparticular two of leads A2, B2, C2, D2 or E2, the respective contacts ofrelay R1000 (operated in a manner similar to that previously described),and the respective leads A2, B2,

C2, D2 and E2 to relays corresponding to A, B, C and D in the five relaycode unit 350 for operating them in accordance with the chart shown inFig. 3a so that the proper digit configuration is displayed in theassociated display panel. The operated code relays are held operated andthe control relays released as previously described at the end of theground pulse to relay RF.

Thus having described my invention I am appending hereto claims to thesubject matter I consider patentable.

What is claimed is:

1. A code translating system for operating an indicating means inaccordance with a value registered in an electronic counting circuithaving a plurality of electronic valves, comprising means individuallyassociated with certain of said valves and operated by its associatedvalve if its associated valve is conditioned in accordance with thevalue registered in said circuit, a group of five relays, certain ofwhich relays correspond to the value registered in said countingcircuit, said certain relays operated by said operated means foroperating said indicating means to indicate a value corresponding tothat registered in said circuit.

2. A system such as claimed in claim 1, in which a pair of controlrelays are associated with said counting circuit, means operated at apredetermined time for activating one relay of said pair of controlrelays to ass-ociate the valve operated means of said counting circuitwith the other control relay, the other control relay operatedthereafter by an associated valve operated means if a predeterminedvalue is registered in its associated counting circuit to thereby enablethe operation of the corresponding relays of said group of five relays,said other control relay unoperated by an associated valve operatedmeans if another predetermined value is registered in its associatedcircuit.

3. In a system such as claimed in claim 2, means associated with anothercounting circuit and operated by an associated other control relay if apredetermined value is registered in said other counting circuit foroperating said other control relay associated with the first countingcircuit if said other predetermined value is registered in itsassociated counting circuit to thereby enable the operation of thecorresponding relays of said group of five relays.

4. A code translating system for an electronic counting circuitincluding electronic valves and having indicating means associatedtherewith to indicate a count corresponding to that registered in saidcounting circuit comprising, translating means individually associatedwith certain of said valves and operated by the associated valves whenconditioned in accordance with a count in said circuit, a group ofrelays arranged so that difierent ones thereof correspond to eachdifferent count registered in said circuit, circuits completed byoperated ones of said translating means to the different ones of saidrelays that correspond to the count in said counting circuit, thedifferent ones of said relays operated by said completed circuits tooperate said indicating means for indicating said count.

5. A code translating system for an electronic counting circuitincluding electronic valves and having indicating means associatedtherewith to indicate a count corresponding to that registered in saidcounting circuit, comprising a first group of relays individuallyassociated with certain of said valves, a difierent combination of saidrelays operated by the associated valves of said circuit for eachdifferent count registered in said counting circuit, a group of fiverelays, and individually corresponding cir- 6 cuits completed by eachdifierent operated combination of said first relays for operating anindividual corresponding combination of several of said five relays tothereby operate said indicating means to indicate a count correspondingto that registered in said counting circuit.

6. In a system such as claimed in claim 5, means operable atpredetermined times for controlling the valves of said counting circuitto operate a combination of said first group of relays, and meansassociated with said counting circuit and operated by said combinationof said first group of relays if a predetermined count is registered insaid counting circuit for enabling said relays to complete saidindividually corresponding circuits and unoperated by said relays ifanother predetermined count is registered in said circuit to therebyprevent completion of the corresponding circuits,

7. A code translating system for an electronic counting circuitincluding a scale of five counter and a scale of two counter and havingan indicating means associated therewith to indicate a countcorresponding to that registered in said counting circuit, a group offive relays associated with said scale of five counter, a group of tworelays associated with said scale of two counter, a particular one ofsaid first group and a particular one of said second group operated byits associated counter dependent on the count registered in saidcounting circuit, a third group of relays, and circuits completed bysaid operated relays for operating a particular combination of relays ofsaid last group dependent on which particular ones of the first twogroups of relays are operated to thereby operate said indicating meansto indicate a count corresponding to the count registered in saidcounting circuit.

8. In a code translating system having a plurality of electroniccounting circuits each having an indicating means individuallyassociated therewith for indicating the value registered in itsassociated counting circuit, a plurality of relays associated with eachcircuit, means operable at a predetermined time for operating one ofsaid relays, and control means associated with each circuit foroperating another of said associated relays only if any one of aplurality of predetermined values is registered in its associatedcircuit to enable said control means to operate the indicating meansindividually associated with the counting circuit to indicate the valueregistered in its associated counting circuit.

9. A system such as claimed in claim 8, in which the other relayassociated with one counting circuit is unoperated by said associatedmeans if another predetermined value is registered in said circuit toprevent operation of said indicating means, and means associated withthe other relay of another counting circuit and operated thereby if apredetermined value is registered in said other counting circuit foroperating said other relay associated with said one counting circuit toenable said control means to operate said indicating means to indicatesaid other predetermined value.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,121,164 Robinson June 21, 1938 2,528,394 Sharpless et al. Oct. 31,1950 2,563,102 Crosman et al. Aug. 7, 1951

